- A
Risk acceptance
Why wrong: Acceptance would mean no additional controls.
- B
Risk avoidance
Why wrong: Avoidance would remove the server, which was not done.
- C
Risk transfer
Why wrong: Transfer would involve insurance or outsourcing.
- D
Risk mitigation
Applying a WAF rule reduces the risk without eliminating it entirely.
Question 823 of 1,000
SSCP Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of risk identification, monitoring, and analysis. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A vulnerability scan identifies a critical flaw in a web server. The server is currently in production and cannot be patched immediately due to compatibility issues. The risk response chosen is to implement a web application firewall (WAF) rule to block exploitation attempts. This is an example of which risk response?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Risk mitigation
Implementing a WAF rule to block exploitation attempts reduces the likelihood or impact of the vulnerability without removing the flaw itself. This is a classic risk mitigation technique, as it applies a compensating control to lower residual risk while the server remains unpatched. Risk mitigation involves taking action to reduce risk to an acceptable level, which is exactly what deploying a WAF signature achieves.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Risk acceptance
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance would mean no additional controls.
- ✗
Risk avoidance
Why it's wrong here
Avoidance would remove the server, which was not done.
- ✗
Risk transfer
Why it's wrong here
Transfer would involve insurance or outsourcing.
- ✓
Risk mitigation
Why this is correct
Applying a WAF rule reduces the risk without eliminating it entirely.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between risk mitigation and risk avoidance, where candidates mistakenly think that blocking exploitation attempts 'avoids' the risk, but avoidance requires eliminating the vulnerability entirely (e.g., removing the server), not just reducing its exploitability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model, inspecting HTTP/HTTPS traffic for malicious payloads such as SQL injection or XSS. The rule blocks exploitation by matching patterns (e.g., regex signatures) against request parameters, but it does not fix the underlying code vulnerability. In real-world scenarios, WAF rules can be bypassed if the attacker finds a way to obfuscate the payload (e.g., using Unicode encoding), so this is a temporary compensating control, not a permanent fix.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — This question tests Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Risk mitigation — Implementing a WAF rule to block exploitation attempts reduces the likelihood or impact of the vulnerability without removing the flaw itself. This is a classic risk mitigation technique, as it applies a compensating control to lower residual risk while the server remains unpatched. Risk mitigation involves taking action to reduce risk to an acceptable level, which is exactly what deploying a WAF signature achieves.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This SSCP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SSCP exam.
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